RME ADI-2 DAC Thread

[Slaphead]

I've been searching for an endgame DAC and I think this might be the product I'm looking for. I always thought I would go rack-mounted for my audio gear but the ADI-2 has a lot of features that are more difficult to find in other products, especially at this price. Currently running an O2 DAC/amp with a receiver I will eventually upgrade. I'm expecting my socks to be blown off, so please tell me to lower my expectations if they are set too high. I have a set of JBL 590's which covers over 90% of my listening needs, but this DAC seems to be more for headphones than speakers. I imagine that I won't experience a difference so tell me if there's anything better out there that might be a better fit.

Also, let me know if there's a deal on this. $1200 on a DAC is a big boy purchase and the pill might be easier to swallow if a deal is out there with my name on it

No, no and no. It's a DAC with both XLR and RCA outputs that can operate in a pure dac mode, or by default operates as a pre-amp for powered monitors/speakers or a power amp.

It just happens to have 2 headphone jacks, which apparently sound OK.

 

[Slim1970]

Just joined the club for this awesome DAC. Now I need to learn how to take advantage of its feature set.

 

[Slaphead]

Just joined the club for this awesome DAC. Now I need to learn how to take advantage of its feature set.

Honestly, it looks, and performs better when you've turned it on.

 

[FullBlownEargasam]

Just joined the club for this awesome DAC. Now I need to learn how to take advantage of its feature set.

Congrats on the great purchase (not just saying this because I have one). This is one of the first products of any kind that I didn't question weather I made the right decision after using it.

 

[betula]

Just joined the club for this awesome DAC. Now I need to learn how to take advantage of its feature set.

It is not as complicated as it initially seems. You will soon find your favourite settings and stick with it.
For sure it depends on your headphones, but I'd still be interested to see other's settings.
With the RME ADI2 I mostly use LCDX and LCD2C these days.
My preferred settings are: high power mode, width to the maximum of 1.0, crossfeed on level 2. No bass or treble boost needed in high gain.

 

[Slim1970]

Honestly, it looks, and performs better when you've turned it on.

Good point, I just turned it off to take a picture. I've been listening to it with the LCD-4z's. Sounds very good out the box. I'm about to play around with the EQ.

 

[Slim1970]

It is not as complicated as it initially seems. You will soon find your favourite settings and stick with it.
For sure it depends on your headphones, but I'd still be interested to see other's settings.
With the RME ADI2 I mostly use LCDX and LCD2C these days.
My preferred settings are: high power mode, width to the maximum of 1.0, crossfeed on level 2. No bass or treble boost needed in high gain.

Interested in this as well. Since you have a couple of Audeze headphones, have you applied any EQ to them. I have the LCD-4z's that I'm currently listening to and would like to play around with the parametric EQ a bit.

 

[FullBlownEargasam]

Good point, I just turned it off to take a picture. I've been listening to it with the LCD-4z's. Sounds very good out the box. I'm about to play around with the EQ.

I am trying to EQ a pair of IEMs for the first time. EQing is a lot harder than I thought. Does anyone have some resources specifically for headphones that could get me pointed in the right direction?

 

[Slim1970]

Congrats on the great purchase (not just saying this because I have one). This is one of the first products of any kind that I didn't question weather I made the right decision after using it.

It's very good and has a different sound than my Chord DAC's.

 

[Facta]

Need some help deciding:

1. For IEMs, the regular headphone on ADI-2 Pro FS BE is only a little inferior or vastly so when compared with the 'IEM output' port on ADI-2 DAC FS?

2. Adding Topping A90 to bypass the amp section of ADI-2 Pro FS BE vastly improves when compared to the stand-along output of ADI-2 Pro FS BE or just about 5%-10%?

 

[betula]

Interested in this as well. Since you have a couple of Audeze headphones, have you applied any EQ to them. I have the LCD-4z's that I'm currently listening to and would like to play around with the parametric EQ a bit.

I tried a few EQ settings on my Audeze headphones, but I didn't really like any of them. IMO if you don't like the default sound of your hp no eq can fix that.

 

[FullBlownEargasam]

I tried a few EQ settings on my Audeze headphones, but I didn't really like any of them. IMO if you don't like the default sound of your hp no eq can fix that.

I have a set of V14s and just want to take a little brightness out of them. Just a little. Thought it was going to be as simple as going to the high end of the graph and pull it down lol. Guess thats not how it works.

 

[G8torbyte]

I know, RME settings can be really different depending on our headphones and preferred sound signatures, but I still thought it would be fun to share our settings.
What I like with my LCD2C and LCDX is high power mode, width to maximum 1.0, crossfeed on level 2.

I run the RME line-out through the XLR outputs to a THX AAA 789 amp. I max out the volume on the amp and control the volume and tone/frequency settings with the RME. The THX is super clean and transparent so all adjustments with the RME go through clearly.

I set a baseline (slight V-shaped) EQ signature and then adjust bass and treble with the right-hand knobs with different headphones if necessary. Width and crossfeed are set at one. I recently acquired the LCD2-Classics with balanced cables from Periapt and really enjoying the expansive/immersive performance with the large planar drivers.

 

[FullBlownEargasam]

I run the RME line-out through the XLR outputs to a THX AAA 789 amp. I max out the volume on the amp and control the volume and tone/frequency settings with the RME. The THX is super clean and transparent so all adjustments with the RME go through clearly.

I set a baseline (slight V-shaped) EQ signature and then adjust bass and treble with the right-hand knobs with different headphones if necessary. Width and crossfeed are set at one. I recently acquired the LCD2-Classics with balanced cables from Periapt and really enjoying the expansive/immersive performance with the large planar drivers.

Do you find the THX an improvement on the RME amp when you are using single ended?

 

[betula]

Do you find the THX an improvement on the RME amp when you are using single ended?

To me there is no improvement in SE mode. Yet to try my balanced cables about to arrive.